Double Pirogue des Iles des Amis

This scene depicts a group of people on a sailing vessel along the coast of one of the Friendly Islands, now known as Tonga. A European explorer is guided in a dug-out canoe by the natives of the Friendly Islands. The vessel is actually constructed from a pair of dug-out canoes. A small double pavilion sits atop planks joining the two canoes. The explorer sits beneath a canopy on the lower level and speaks with a group of islanders while another group sits on the upper level. One of the islanders on the upper level appears to be playing a nose flute. Other islanders stand or sit around the edges of the boat, guiding it or adjusting the sail. Palm trees and lush foliage are at the left. A view of the open sea, with a single canoe and sailboat on the horizon, is at the right. From Jacques-Julien Houtou de La Billardiere's (1755-1834) 'Atlas du Voyage a la recherche de la Perouse', published in Paris, 1817 edition. Slight printing fault to right of canoe.